Abby and Brittany Hensel facts for kids

Abigail "Abby" Loraine Hensel and Brittany "Britty" Lee Hensel (born March 7, 1990) are American conjoined twins. This means they were born physically connected to each other. They are a very rare type of conjoined twins called dicephalic parapagus twins, which means they have two heads on a single body.

Even though they share a body, they are two different people. Each twin has her own heart, stomach, spine, and pair of lungs. Abby controls the right arm and leg, while Brittany controls the left arm and leg. To do things like crawl, walk, or clap, they had to learn to work together from a very young age.

They can do many things separately at the same time, like eating or writing. But for activities like running, swimming, playing the piano, or driving a car, they must coordinate their movements perfectly.

Their amazing story has been shared in magazines and on TV shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show. They even had their own reality show called Abby & Brittany on the TV channel TLC in 2012. Since 2013, they have worked as elementary school teachers in Minnesota.

Early Life and Education

Abby and Brittany were born in Carver County, Minnesota. Their mother, Patty, was a nurse, and their father, Mike, was a carpenter. They grew up in the small town of New Germany, Minnesota, with their younger brother and sister.

The twins went to Mayer Lutheran High School and later attended Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. They both studied education and graduated in 2012 with degrees that would allow them to become teachers.

How Their Bodies Work

Abby and Brittany have one body, but many of their organs are separate. Their chest is wider than average, and they have two arms and two legs. When they were born, they had a small third arm between their necks, but it was removed when they were babies.

Coordination and Teamwork

Each twin controls one side of their body. Abby controls the right side, and Brittany controls the left. Their sense of touch is also separate for each side. To do things that require both hands or both legs, they have to work together as a team.

By coordinating their actions, they can walk, run, swim, and ride a bike. They can also play sports like volleyball and play the piano. They even learned to drive a car together. To get their driver's licenses, they both had to pass the test. Abby controls everything on the right side of the driver's seat, and Brittany controls the left side. Together, they steer the wheel.

There are some small physical differences between them. Abby is a little taller than Brittany. This can make some activities, like balancing on a Segway, a bit tricky.

Shared and Separate Organs

While they look like one person from the waist down, their bodies are very complex. Here is a simple list of how their organs are arranged:

• Two heads and two separate spines that join at the lower back.
• Two hearts that share one circulatory system. This means that when one twin takes medicine, it affects both of them.
• Four lungs in total.
• Two stomachs and two gallbladders.
• One liver, one large intestine, and one bladder.
• They share one reproductive system.

When they were 12, they had surgery to correct scoliosis (a curve in the spine) and to make more room in their chest for breathing.

Decision About Separation

When the twins were born, their parents talked to doctors about an operation to separate them. The doctors said it was very risky and that it was unlikely both babies would survive.

As Abby and Brittany grew up and learned to do so much together, their parents felt they had made the right choice. They believed the twins would have a better and fuller life together than they would apart.

Life as Adults

It is very rare for twins like Abby and Brittany to live into adulthood, but they have thrived. After graduating from college in 2012, they began their careers as teachers.

To show their individual styles, they often have their clothes changed by a seamstress to have two different necklines. They usually eat separate meals but might share one if it's more convenient. When they write emails, they type as one person because they can often guess what the other wants to say.

The twins prefer not to be stared at or photographed by strangers. In interviews, they have said they hope to lead normal social lives. In 2021, Abby married Josh Bowling. As of 2024, they continue to teach fifth grade at Sunnyside Elementary in New Brighton, Minnesota.

Media Appearances

Abby and Brittany have shared their story with the world through several TV shows and magazines. This has helped people understand what it's like to be conjoined twins.

They first appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996 and were featured on the cover of Life magazine that same year. Several documentaries have been made about them as they grew up, showing their lives at different ages.

Their 2012 reality show, Abby & Brittany, followed them as they finished college, traveled through Europe, and started their first job as part-time teachers.

Filmography

Here are some of the documentaries and shows the twins have appeared in:

See also

In Spanish: Abigail y Brittany Hensel para niños